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Management of Scabies
1.
Consider as a possible diagnosis in anyone
who is itchy.
2. Confirm diagnosis by identifying the burrows, which are linear scaly tracks ~ 1cm in length -
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3. Be confident and upbeat with the patient -
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4. Treat patient with Permethrin 5% cream on two occasions, 7 days apart -
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5. Treat all household members and other close contacts simultaneously, whether they have symptoms or not. Scabies is highly infectious and contacts may be asymptomatic as the incubation period is 2 – 6 weeks. Encourage the family not to delay treatment. It is important that all contacts apply treatment on the same day to minimize the chances of reinfestation from an untreated contact.
6. Tell patient itch may persist for up to a month after treatment -
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Refer to NHS Tayside’s Guidelines for the Control of Scabies infection when available (due to be published shortly) and PRODIGY Guidance - scabies for further advice.
© 2010 NHS Tayside